The blogger Elder of Ziyon looked into this. The students aren't reading entire Talmuds, just small excerpts.

James ,

Australia

(05.12.11)

2. Oh brother

Where do you conjure this kind of ridiculous BS up, YNET?
Could only grin & roll my eyes at the thought of Koreans searching through texts for the elusive Golden Secret to truly successful moneygrubbing.
Probably reviewing ancient Chinese scrolls as well toward the same end.

Cameron ,

USA

(05.12.11)

3. Is this article a joke?

Are Israeli foreign minister Mr. Lieberman and Korean ambassador Mr. Young similar? Studying Talmud is to be "geniuses", such motive is wrong, and it can not work out.

jade ,

Jerusalem

(05.12.11)

4. Small percentage of nobel winners were talmud learners...

Einstein was anti-religious as well as many other Jewsh brains...
Although learning the Talmud for the sake of getting smarter will work, like any other complex mental excersise, it will not make a people smart.
God gave the Jewish people a gift, the Gift of the torah and every jewish soul stood at sini. The gift is in all jews. This is why the Jewish people stand out.
the question is what do we do with it?

(05.12.11)

5. HaShem blesses the Jews....

That's why.... has nothing to do with the Talmud.
Actually the Jews who study Talmud never go to regular school, never work, never get an education.

RJ ,

Israel

(05.12.11)

6. polarization

If such effort were not invested in polarizing the Jews of Israel, mainly by the "orthodox" , more Israeli Jews would be interested in Jewish Literature.

The Last Zionist ,

Eilat

(05.12.11)

7. As if the sucessfull Jews read it?!

If you as the average person on the street to even give you the names of the books, could they?
The Koreans according to this article have a primitive view of how to succeed.
Many accomplishments of Americans have been noted. Maybe they should watch cartoons and drink oversized colas bought at a corner market.
This is why Japan tech products are far superior? How about just getting a good education and work ethic and leave the wizards and kabbalists to their own devices?

Josh

(05.12.11)

8. This exact same article appeared a month and a half ago

Dont have anything new to say?
Besides, Talmud is usually not learned before age 13. Also, I dont think they learn Gemara, but merely take out stories from the Gemara ( it's full of them ) and other samples!

Tevye ,

Chelm

(05.12.11)

9. if we are so smart...

why is their poverty in Israel? why are we still at war with the Palestinians? we are not that smart- we have parents who pushed us to do better to prove to the goyim we are equal. that is the secret.

Israeli

(05.12.11)

10. Become ''geniuses like the Jews.''

Evidently, the Koreans have not met many Israeli politicians.
A quick trip to the Knesset could be quite disillusioning.

Terry ,

Eilat - Israel

(05.12.11)

11. the SK r very nice people, a tad conservative

for my taste but they r always smiling and very hospitable, I think there is very much incommon between SK and Israel, this is no difference in Values and in culturl. turst me I know someone who live there.

ghostq

(05.12.11)

12. #10 WHAT ABOUT DIPPY TZIPI ?

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha .

LAWRENCE ,

SAFED ISRAEL

(05.12.11)

13. Not a Joke

I can testify that this article is not a joke and is a worthwhile subject. There are many Koreans visiting Israel, going to University, and learning biblical studies. I have met a good few. Their attitude towards Israel is very much as the article portrays.

Moshe R ,

New York

(05.12.11)

14. Looooool Oh my God! that was too funny.

Dear Korean, if you will be able to convince the Jews to transfer "Israel" from Palestine to Korea, you can be more genius, they will take the Noble Peace Prize from Obama for you ; )

Salma ,

Palestine

(05.12.11)

15. #10 Terry, the Koreans are not referring politicians but to

Jewish scholars, talmidei chachamim, which are generally found among orthodox Jews. And they are right. If Israeli politicians would be smart enough they'd discuss major events with great rabbis, like the Lubavitch Rebbe zt"l, or like Rabbi Eliyashiv or other such highly educated scholars.
#8 Maybe in Chelm they start at the age of 13 to learn Talmud, generally they start 9-10.

Dov

(05.12.11)

16. Salma keeps laugihing

Dear Salma, keep making us laugh with your funny ideas. Think about your suggestion. Jews have been exiled from their country a little less than 2000 years ago. They have been living in practically every country of the world. How many of them brought pride and fame to their adopted country? (no need to answer, we all know it is "many"). Arabs who spent some time in the mandatory Palestine (no connection to your so called "palestine") these Arabs have fled to other countries, including western countries. How many have succeeded and been famous? Only the only the ones who actually were educated with western "judeo-christian" values.
So transfer does not work in the same way to different populations. However I suggest you transfer yourself, your family and your tribe to the real "palestinian" state called Jordan. You might raise the IQ level of both Israel and Jordan.

Johan Sebastian ,

Amsterdam

(05.12.11)

17. Jews are not genius because of Talmud

They are genius because of the SYSTEM by which they learn Talmud.
This is the only explanation possible to match the facts - 99% of the genius and famous Jews are mostly or totally secular, and in many cases run off their orthodox past.
And by that I mean people who attributed to the world culture, science etc, not to the religion.
There are FEW examples of orthodox genius (say, Axman), but that is called EXCEPTIONS that justify the rule.

John ,

Europe

(05.12.11)

18. Talmud - the very, very, VERY abridged version

That paperback is definitely not the Talmud that we Jews - even those who haven't studied it - know about. With its 63 tractates, the real thing will take up multiple bookshelves. More likely it's just a selection of stories, or maybe Pirkei Avot, the ethical Chapter of the Fathers, that parallels in some ways the Confucian Analects.
Then again, maybe the Koreans have boiled the Talmud down so it can be digested while standing on one foot. They're a smart people after all...

Raymond in DC ,

Washington, USA

(05.12.11)

19. Than they should convert ..

to Judaisme.
The same as Olympic shampion candidates must not only do the necessary exercises,but they need also the best coaches who will recommand them their lifestyle .

ORA ,

JERUSALEM

(05.12.11)

20. Salma,i have a better scenario for you

They might convert to Judaism and come to Israel.

ORA ,

JERUSALEM

(05.12.11)

21. 9Israeli We are not smart enough ...

to understand,that we have the potential to become the light among the nations,if we study THE BOOK.
Jews have allways be known as the people of the book
The Tora is our treasure,our culture.

ORA ,

JERUSALEM

(05.12.11)

22. #17 John

What do you mean by "SYSTEM by which they learn"?

Denaro ,

NYC

(05.12.11)

23. to #14 salma, Muslims also pray for

their prophets, and all of them were jewish except from Muhamad. I think your post is beyond words.

ghostq

(05.12.11)

24. incredulous

What a naive bunch they are! Firstly: How many Talmudists have won Nobel Prizes? Secondly: Have they never read the articles on this site declaring how backward, retarded and primitive the Talmudists are? Thirdly since the ambassador realises that regular Israelis don't study Talmud,and most would reject it, why does he then equate it with progress made by the State? As for the family values etc: the breakdown of such is a Western phenomena - wherever Western values have penetrated, a breakdown in family values results.

Talmudist

(05.12.11)

25. #20 Ora, God forbid.

historical Palestine already has a demographic crisis ...... see dear, my scenario is more practical, more realistic and achievable than your
one : )
byyyye and good luck.

Salma ,

Palestine

(05.12.11)

26. #16 Don't be like that - there's lots of famous Arabs

There's Omar Sharif that bats for the Arabs, then there's ummm errrrr Tony Shalhoub - then moving away from the entertainment industry to a more familiar field for the Arabs - we've got Osama Bin Laden (recently deceased) - Saddam Hussein (deceased) Yasser Arafat (died of AIDS) then there's Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi - he's in the news alot lately, showing off his gentle side - then we have Khaled Mashal who was kicked out of Israel and now lives in Damascus, then we have the 'Supreme' Leaderd of Iran, Ali Khamenei - and Ahmadinejad - there's lots of them - but have they ever done any real good? No, they have not - they are known for the bloody murder and slaughter of innocent people - all in the name of Islam.

Talula ,

Israel

(05.12.11)

27. To all befor me

This is not a joke article, this is a person expresing what his people believe. Instead of laughing about it we should thanks that people like the south koreans think and expres about us. If we would show more respect to ourselves, we will be a little bit more like them.

mabsurfing ,

nahariya

(05.12.11)

28. It might be a good idea,to invest ..

in South Korea,as it is written in the Tora,that ,those who bless Jews,will be blessed by G-D.

ORA ,

JERUSALEM

(05.12.11)

29. Package and brand it....and sell millions...!

Tim ,

Brighton

(05.12.11)

30. In Mea Shearim

You find the highest density of schmocks in Israel. Talmud is not a universal tool against narrow mindedness and bigotry.